Saving money on groceries

Recently, we had some family visiting for a few months and as a result, our grocery bills shot through the roof. It's back to being just us again and I'm trying to reduce our grocery expenses.

One of the reasons our grocery bill gets so high is we buy a lot of groceries at the local indian grocery store and it tends to be the biggest part of our grocery budget.

1. Use a discount grocer or warehouse club - options for me are Trader Joe's, Market Basket, Costco, ALDI's and Sam's Club
2. Choose your primary store and learn its layout
3. Watch the store flyer each week
4. Make a meal plan and grocery list
5. Stock up big on sale-priced non perishables
6. Listen to uptempo music while you shop
7. Figure out the price per unit when buying a specific non perishable item
8. Shop your pantry - meal plan around the items in stock in your pantry

So I'm going to start meal planning soon and use the rest of these tips to reduce our grocery costs every month. I will keep updating on how that's going.

Eight Discount Grocery Strategies

Things to buy and not buy in March

March is just beginning and you can get great deals on certain products like chocolates, frozen foods, cleaning supplies and winter gear on clearance.

To Buy:

• Winter Clearance: It's well known that the best time to buy clothes for a season is a couple of months after the season has started. Right now winter clearance is on everywhere and you can get great deals for next year or even for rest of this winter depending on where you live. 

• Chocolate: Now's a great time to buy all the Valentine's day clearance chocolate and you can use it for baking or just enjoy the chocolate :)

• Cleaning Products: There are lots of coupons out for cleaning supplies and combined with sales on the brand name cleaning supplies, now's a great time to stock up on them. 

• Frozen Food: March is Frozen Food month and you can find good sales on frozen food and stock up. 

• Luggage: Winter travel is over and summer travel is yet to start. You may find some good deals on luggage. 

Don't buy:

• Spring Clothes: They will go on sale soon once spring starts. 

• New Smartphones: Don't buy new smartphones which are still at full price. If you want to buy, go for older models which will be on sale. 

• Patio furniture: The best patio furniture deals start over Memorial Day or Independence Day holidays

Top things to buy in February

Top 5 Things To Buy In February :- I probably will stock up on breakfast foods, cereals and canned goods this February.

Top 5 Things To Buy In February :- This is another list from one of my favorite websites Hip2Save

Review: Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad

My daughter recently received the Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad as a take-home gift from a birthday party. She has played with it before when she was around 2 years old and she did love it then but she would put the stickers in her mouth then and I had to keep an eye on her and she didn't quite fully get the concept back then. 

Now that she's 3 years old, she played with the stickers by herself for more than an hour and knowing my daughter, that's saying something. She picked each type of habitat and was happily removing the stickers and sticking them. The best thing is that the stickers are reusable and they only stick to the sheet which comes with the book - they are easily removable and repositioned. Also, this means less time spent cleaning up after her stickers for me. 

I anticipate that she will get hours of enjoyment out of this reusable sticker pad. 

There are other themes as well - My Town, Vehicles and Play House.

I highly recommend this sticker pad for 3 year olds and it's a great gift idea. 

Money Saving Tips Roundup: Saving at Stores

Ten “HIP” Kohl’s Shopping Secrets You Need to Know: Kohl's is one of my favorite places to shop and it's the closest store to my house - so I find myself shopping online and at stores fairly often. Even considering myself a savvy Kohl's shopper, there were a few tips here I didn't know about.

15 “HIP” Tips for Saving BIG at Target: Same for Target - I love shopping here with Cartwheel and mobile coupons and during seasonal clearance sales.

What I've Been Reading Lately

Safest Used Cars Under $10,000 for Teens - Consumer Reports :-The cars listed are Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Focus, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Soul, Mazda3, Mazda6i, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Rabbit/Golf. These are mostly cars made between 2004-2012 and start from $5590.

Love and Wealth are not enough :- This article really got me thinking. I really want my daughter to know I "get" her and love her for who she is and make sure she knows that.

What I've Been Reading Lately

The Nine Minutes that have the Greatest Impact - While I only have one child, I do spend a good amount of time with her in the morning, when I pick her up from school and at bedtime. I'm generally loving in the 9 minutes but I'm sure there are some days I'm rushed and not so loving and patient. I need to watch this to see how her behavior is on those days.

Report: Amazon Uses Jedi Mind Trick To Convince Shoppers It’ll Always Have The Lowest Prices - It always pays to shop around online before buying something on Amazon.

What I've Been Reading Lately

9 Changes That Will Affect Your Money in 2015 - mostly information about changes to 401k plans and retirement plans and tax changes.

Why we spend: Are you falling for these costly biases? - I'm sorry to say I have fallen prey to many of these biases.

The 3-Second Pause That Can Save a Morning & Spare Some Pain - This is making me think about my interactions with Agirl. I'm trying to be more patient and understanding.

Preparing for baby checklist

One of my friends is pregnant and I made this list for her based on lists which my sister and best friend sent with a few changes.

Essentials for baby:

1. Infant car seat and stroller (available as combo at stores) or convertible Car Seat
2. Crib
3. Changing Table (not essential but helps your back!)
4. Crib Mattress
5. Changing table pads
6. Mattress cover for crib (3 at least)
7. Changing station pad covers (3 at least)
8. Boppy (nursing pillow) and a slipcover (this doubles as baby support later)
9. Diaper bag
10. Bath tub and cushion that goes in tub for babies
11. Diaper disposal system

Layette essentials:

1. Onesies (0-3 months) - at least 3  & (3-6 months) - 3 or more  (baby grows very fast in the first few months, so it is wise to buy more in the 3 to 6 months range)
2. Sleeper suits with foot covered - at least 3
3. Button down sweater or hooded fleece siuts (for cold season babies) - at least one
4. SwaddleMe with the velcro for swaddling baby
5. Socks/booties/mittens/caps - babies need to keep head, hands and feet covered for the first couple of months since they can't regulate their body temperature yet.. also, their nails tend to scratch their faces.. (socks can work as mittens too)
6. Bibs/burp cloths - several
7. Wash cloths - helps when bathing baby
8. Towels - at least 3 (hooded ones are nicer)
9. Receiving blankets - at least 4 to 6 (bigger ones to swaddle baby)
10. Thick blankets - at least 2 if baby is born during cold season
11. Diaper holder/ organizer - to keep diapers/lotion/oil/wipes etc. handy for diaper and dress changes
12. Diapers - I prefer Pampers swaddlers sensitive brand coz they were the best for my daughter and most leak proof for her - (babies need at least 7 or 8 diaper changes every day in the first few weeks)
13. Diaper wipes - the ones that are not perfumed are better for new babies. Sensitive ones are not perfumed, for the most part
14. Mattress protector sheets (u get these for crib mattress just like the regular ones) - they are waterproof so it is good to have at least one for the mattress)
15. Dreft laundry detergent (wash baby clothes before use the first time and always separately in baby detergent)
16. For mom - nursing pads (disposable ones are better)

Bathing and other essentials:

1. Baby wash (head-to-toe) Aveeno or Burt's Bees is what I used for my daughter
2. Baby nail cutter (I prefer Safety 1st brand - still use it for the kids)
3. Nasal aspirator (it is also called nasal bulb) - need to remove stuff from nose
4. Brush/comb - needed if baby has lots of hair :)
5. Baby lotion
6. Petroleum jelly or diaper rash ointment
7. Temporal thermometer
8. Regular thermometer (non-mercury - think you get it from the New Baby class)
9. Baby tylenol (infant drops)
10. Mylicon gas reliever (check doctor before use - good for gassy babies)

Other extras that are optional:

1. Glider/ottoman (This was a huge plus for me - saved my life. I still use it to rock my daughter)
2. Baby sling or carrier - try out several brands to find the right one to work for you.
3. Baby monitor (needed if u live in 2-level houses) - go with video monitor if baby's sleeping separately at any point.
4. Bouncer seat (for times when baby is bored of looking up at the ceiling and even for colicky babies)
5. Swing (helpful in calming baby or swinging baby to sleep) - was very useful for my daughter - she slept in it for a few months.
6. Play yard (again for 2 level houses since it serves as a crib and diaper changing area)
7. Bottle feeding supplies (Bottles, nipples, bottle sterilizer, bottle warmer, bottle brush cleaner)
8. Breast pump & accessories
9. Nursing cover
10. Portable Changing pad

Baby Shower Gift Ideas

I've always found it difficult to buy gifts for a baby shower. I don't know why. I've had a baby, know quite a bit about toys and baby stuff but still it's hard to guess what the other person would like.

Of course, if there's a wish list given before the event with the invitation, that's the best. That way, you know what to get and there's no confusion.

If not, each mother has different needs and likes/dislikes. Some plan to breastfeed, other bottle-feed. Some may want to breastfeed but may not be able to. Some may be very eco-minded, other not-so. Some may have different brands in mind, etc.

Either way, I will be attending a traditional indian baby shower in the new couple of weeks. So I've been searching for some gift ideas. Generally, whenever I give such gifts I like to give some baby clothes and a baby toy or something of the sort. Also, it helps to have a budget in mind before buying a gift. Most of the gifts I list below are below $20. Most of them are also toys which were hits with my daughter.

Here are some gift ideas:

• Clothes: I like to buy at BabiesRUs, Kohl's and Gap/OldNavy. Generally, I tend to buy 3-6 months or 6-9 months, based on what's available in stores and on how the weather is going to be at the time the baby would be that age. 

• Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes: My daughter loved this and I used this a lot especially during diaper changes to distract her. Even now at almost 2, she loves the music on it and plays with it sometimes. Current price on Amazon: $8.09

• Sophie the Giraffe: My daughter loved chewing on Sophie. While she was younger, she mostly just like the squeaking noise but as she grew older and her teeth started popping out, she enjoyed chewing on it. Even now, with her molars coming in, she loves chewing on it. Current Price on Amazon: $20.20

• Lamaze Cloth Book: This was one of the first books I bought for my daughter. She loved chewing on it and lifting the flaps. Current Price on Amazon: $9.99

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  Lamaze Play & Grow Freddie the Firefly Take Along Toy: This was one of my favorite toys for my daughter - I could clip it to her playmat and she would pull on it, chew on it and play with it. I've also used it in the car to distract her on the way to daycare. Current Price on Amazon: $12.39

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  Bright Starts Rattle and Shake Barbell Rattle: My daughter loved this rattle - it was her favorite among all the rattles I had bought for her. It was extremely light and easy for her grasp this from when she was 4-5 months. Current Price on Amazon: $5.10

• Summer Infant SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Wrap: These were a lifesaver for me. My daughter had a lot of difficulty with sleep and she would move her arms and hit herself and wake up. She was so strong she would kick out of regular swaddle blankets. Once I started using the SwaddleMe wraps, they helped a huge lot and were a timesaver as well and it was so easy to use them. Current Price on Amazon: $16.22 (different prices for different colors)

• Graco Sweet Slumber Sound Machine: I actually received this as an unexpected baby shower gift from a friend. I didn't use it for a long time till I read the book "The Happiest Baby On The Block" where it was suggested to use a sound machine to help the baby sleep better and it actually worked. I still use the sound machine to block out household noise so my daughter doesn't wake up. Current Price on Amazon: $29.98

(This post contains affliate links)

Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair review

We bought this high chair before the baby was born - I had heard great reviews about this chair and it was touted in all the books as the best.

In the beginning, I liked it. It seemed comfortable for my daughter. I could wipe it clean and use it. I could tilt in the beginning when my daughter couldn't quite sit up and adjusted it as she grew up.

My issues with this chair started when my daughter threw up all her formula and sweet potato together one day. While I could wash the seat and wipe down all the plastic, some of the vomit got inside the crevices and I couldn't clean there. Also, the straps got the brunt of the vomit (apart from her dress) and no matter how much I wiped & cleaned, the stains never went away and I still don't feel happy about her using it.

I tried to let that go - cleaned as best as I could and am still using it. But now, the underside of the seat has started to pill. My daughter has easy access to it since the underside shows up near her thighs and she has happily started plucking away at it more and more. I'm concerned she may put it in her mouth.

Overall, while I was initially happy with this purchase, now I'm seriously considering and looking for another high chair to buy.

Press Release: Graco Commits to Banning Toxic Flame Retardants from Children’s Products | Healthy Child Healthy World

Press Release: Graco Commits to Banning Toxic Flame Retardants from Children’s Products | Healthy Child Healthy World

This is great news! Hopefully other companies will also follow Graco on this.

Latest baby shopping update

We bought the crib mattress as well to go with the crib. We bought a crib mattress on BabiesRUs which was on sale which was "organic" and "green" but it felt like green-washing to me and didn't fit well in the crib. Eventually, after some thinking, I decided to go with my original choice. It had good reviews and was universally recommended as the best organic mattress.

Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Classic Lightweight Crib Mattress

We also bought the car seat with matching stroller caddy. I decided on the Chicco Keyfit 30 infant car seat after looking at the options on the market and reviews online. I also decided to go with the stroller caddy instead of fullsize stroller since the full size stroller is so heavy and I wouldn't be able to lift it if I needed to take the baby for a walk.

Chicco Keyfit 30 - Cubes

Chicco KeyFit Caddy Stroller Frame

We also bought the Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle 'n' Swing after some research. It can swing in 2 different directions and had a lot of options. It also had a power supply instead of just batteries which will be a huge relief. :)

As we start using these, I will post more reviews on these. 

9 weeks to go...

Can't believe I just have 2 months to go... I'm so excited!

The baby's starting to move around a lot now and it's so nice to feel her move even though it's uncomfortable at times. She seems to be more active in the morning and in the evening and sometimes around lunch time.

My heartburn's gone up a lot and it's getting uncomfortable to move around these days.

My husband and I are still considering names for the baby. Somehow, I think the baby's name is going to be decided very close to when she's born or after she's born.

We assembled the Storkcraft Glider and Ottoman that I ordered on Amazon - so far, I'm liking it. It creaks a little once in a while but hasn't bothered me so far. I guess I'll know more about how much I like it after the baby's born.

I ordered the Babyletto Modo 3-in-1 Crib in Expresso - I received it a few days ago but have yet to assemble it.

Towel for baby

Another item I bought at Carter's is the Hooded towel below. It was on sale for $10 and looked so cute that I had to buy it.

Ducky Hooded Towel

First dress I bought for baby

This is the first dress I bought for the baby from Carters. It's so cute and I just love that it's girly but not too girly.

Polka Dot Sateen Dress Set

Baby shopping over weekend

This weekend was a good weekend, for the most part. I went maternity and baby shopping with my friends - it was so much fun. Both my friends are single and the baby shopping especially was such an experience for them. It was fun for me to have company along.

I bought some maternity tops at Motherhood maternity and another one at Gap. I also bought a really cute baby one-piece for $13.99 (Originally, $26.99). It's for 6-12m and thick. It will be good in the winter when the baby will be around 5 months old.